Pleasant Gifts.
"Who giveth us richly all things to enjoy."--I Tim. vi. 17.
Think a little this morning of God's great kindness to you. How _very_
good He is to you! I know one of His dear children who looks up many, many
times a day, and says, "_Good_ Lord Jesus!" or "_Kind_ Lord Jesus!" She
does not set herself to say it, but it seems as if she could not help
saying it, just because He _is_ so good and kind. And then it seems only
natural to look up again and say, "_Dear_ Lord Jesus!" How _can_ anybody
go on all day long, and never see how good He is, and never look up and
bless Him? Most especially on bright pleasant days, when He giveth us
more even than usual to enjoy! "He giveth." Not one single pleasant thing,
not one single bit of enjoyment comes to us but what He giveth. We can not
get it, we do not earn it, we do not deserve it; but He _giveth_ lovingly,
and kindly, and freely. Suppose He stopped giving, what would become of
us?
"Richly." So richly, that if you tried to write down half His gifts to
you, your hand would be tired long before you had done. You might easily
make a list of the presents given you on your birthday, but you could not
make a list of what God gives you every day of your life.
"All things." All the things you really need, and a great many more
besides. All the things that will do you good, a great many more than you
would ever have thought of. All the things that He can fill your little
hands with, and trust you to carry without stumbling and falling. _All_
things, everything that you have at all!
"To enjoy." Now how kind this is! not only "to do us good," but "to
enjoy." So you see He means you to be happy with what He gives you, to
smile and laugh and be glad, not to be dismal and melancholy. If you do
not enjoy what He "giveth," that is your own fault, for He meant you to
enjoy it. Look up to Him with a bright smile, and thank Him for having
given you richly all things to enjoy!
"My joys to Thee I bring,
The joys Thy love hath given,
That each may be a wing
To lift me nearer heaven.
I bring them, Saviour, all to Thee,
For Thou hast purchased all for me."